Self-fastening systems for securing ornamental capitals and/or bases to architectural columns

ABSTRACT

Self-fastening systems for securing ornamental capitals (and/or bases) to architectural columns include a plurality of spring retention members for frictionally retaining the capitals on the column shafts. If the body member of the capitals is made of a thermoplastic material with relatively thick (i.e., rigid) walls, the spring retention members may comprise a plurality of integral spring tabs for frictionally engaging the exterior wall surface of the column shafts. If the body member of the capitals is made of a thermoplastic material with relatively thin walls, the spring retention members may comprise spring clips on the uppermost end of the column shafts for frictionally engaging the uppermost end of a tubular inner wall portion of the capitals. If the body member of the capitals is made of a thermoset foam material, the spring retention members may comprise spring clips anchored to the body members for frictionally engaging the exterior wall surface of the column shafts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to architectural columns and ornamental capitalsand/or bases therefor and more particularly to self-fastening systemsfor securing the ornamental capitals and/or bases in place at the upperand/or lower ends of the columns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Architectural columns prefabricated, for example, out of fiberreinforced polymer composites are commonly used to add style andelegance to a house or other building structures including porches,balconies, pool enclosures, decks, gazebos, courtyards and patios andthe like. The advantage in using prefabricated architectural columns isthat they are virtually maintenance-free and relatively light in weight,making them easy and economical to install without specialized labor orequipment. Such columns may be straight or tapered to make themarchitecturally correct, and may be made in a wide range of designs,sizes and shapes including round or square. Also ornamental capitals andbases of different designs and styles may be fabricated out of the sameor different materials for use with the columns to add elegance andaccents to the columns.

After the capitals and bases were placed over the columns and thecolumns were properly secured in place, heretofore the capitals andbases were attached to respective ceiling and floor support structuresusing suitable fasteners inserted through drilled holes in the capitalsand bases. Not only is this time consuming, but the fastener holes haveto be caulked afterwards and painted to match the color of the capitalsand/or bases. Also once the capitals and bases are secured in place, itis difficult to center or reorient the capitals and bases on the columnsif needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these and other drawbacks of previousknown capital and base fastening systems by providing self-fasteningsystems for securing the capitals and/or bases in place on the columnshafts. The particular self-fastening system used will depend on thematerials out of which the capitals and/or bases are made and thethickness of the materials used.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the self-fasteningsystem comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced springretention members for frictionally retaining the capitals and/or baseson the column shaft.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the spring retentionmembers comprise spring clips that may be attached to the capitalsand/or bases or to the column shafts.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, if the body memberof the capitals and/or bases is made of a thermoset foam material, thespring retention members may comprise spring clips anchored to the bodymember.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, if the body memberof the capitals and/or bases is made of a thermoplastic material, thespring retention members may comprise a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced spring tabs integral with the body member.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the body member ofthe capitals and/or bases may have an end wall containing an openingsized to closely slidably receive an end portion of the column shaft,and the spring tabs may have radially inwardly and axially inclinedspring fingers in axially spaced relation from the opening thatfrictionally engage the exterior surface of the column shaft.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, if the body memberof the capitals is made of a thermoplastic material, the body member mayhave an axially extending tubular inner wall portion containing athrough passage for closely slidably receiving an upper end portion ofthe column shafts, and the uppermost end of the column shafts may have aplurality of circumferentially spaced spring clips attached thereto forfrictionally engaging the uppermost end of the tubular inner wallportion of the capitals.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each of the springclips may have an axially downwardly and radially inwardly inclinedspring finger adapted to receive an upper end portion of the tubularinner wall portion of the capitals between the exterior wall surface ofthe column shafts and the spring finger for frictionally retaining thecapitals on the upper end portion of the column shafts.

These and other objects, advantages, features and aspects of the presentinvention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrativeembodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of butseveral of the various ways in which the principles of the invention maybe employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view of an exemplaryarchitectural column having an exemplary capital and exemplary base atthe upper and lower ends of the column shaft.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view of an upper endportion of a column shaft and a capital incorporating one form ofself-fastening system of the present invention positioned for slidingover the upper end portion of the column shaft.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the capital of FIG. 2, taken onthe plane of the line 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view similar to FIG. 2but showing the capital slid down over the upper end of the column shaftand the upper end of the column shaft secured to a ceiling supportstructure.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view similar to FIG. 4but showing the capital raised up on the column shaft flush with thebottom surface of the ceiling support structure.

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary section through the capital ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view of a capital thathas been modified for retention by another form of self-fastening systemof the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a transverse section through the capital of FIG. 7, taken onthe plane of the line 8-8 thereof.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view showing the capitalof FIGS. 7 and 8 slid down over the upper end portion of a column shaftto which such other form of self-fastening system is attached.

FIG. 10 is a further enlarged schematic side elevation view of one of aplurality of spring clips that comprise the self-fastening system shownin FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a schematic end elevation view of the spring clip of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view similar to FIG. 9but showing the capital raised up on the column shaft flush with thebottom surface of a ceiling support structure.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the capital of FIG.12.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged schematic side elevation view of the upper endportion of a column shaft and a capital in vertically spaced relationtherefrom similar to FIG. 2 but incorporating another form ofself-fastening system of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a transverse section through the capital of FIG. 7, taken onthe plane of the line 15-15.

FIG. 16 is a further enlarged schematic top plan view of one of aplurality of spring clips that comprise the self-fastening system shownin FIGS. 4 and 15.

FIG. 17 is a schematic side elevation view of the spring clip of FIG. 16as seen from the left-hand side thereof.

FIG. 18 is a schematic end elevation view of the spring clip of FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a schematic side elevation view similar to FIG. 14 butshowing the capital slid down below the upper end of the column shaftand the upper end of the column shaft secured to a ceiling supportstructure.

FIG. 20 is a schematic side elevation view similar to FIG. 19 butshowing the capital raised up on the column shaft flush with the bottomsurface of the ceiling support structure.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the capital of FIG.20.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and initially to FIG.1, there is shown an exemplary prefabricated architectural column 1having an exemplary capital 2 and exemplary base 3 at respective upperand lower ends of the column shaft 4. The particular column shown inFIG. 1 is an unfluted tapered round column. However, columns may be madein a wide range of designs, sizes and shapes, including tapered andnon-tapered round or square columns, and may be fluted or unfluted asdesired. Likewise, the capitals and/or bases may be of different designsand styles to add elegance and accents to the columns, and may beprefabricated out of the same or different materials as the columns asdesired.

In accordance with the present invention, the capitals 2 (and/or bases3) may be retained on column shafts by self-fastening systems thatfrictionally hold the capitals (and/or bases) in place centered on thecolumn shafts. This eliminates the need for having to drill holesthrough the capitals (and/or bases) for receipt of suitable fastenersand thereafter caulk and paint the fastener holes to match the color ofthe capitals (and/or bases).

The particular self-fastening system of the present invention may varydepending on the materials from which the body members of the capitals(and/or bases) are made and the wall thicknesses thereof. Forsimplification, the different self-fastening systems of the presentinvention are specifically shown and described herein for securingcapitals in place. However, it is to be understood that substantiallythe same self-fastening systems may also be used to secure bases inplace made of substantially the same materials as the capitals ifdesired.

For example, where the body member 6 of the capitals 2 is molded of asuitable thermoplastic material with relatively thick (i.e., rigid)walls 7, the self-fastening system 8 may comprise a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced axially extending spring tabs 9 integrallymolded with the body member around an opening 10 in the lower end wall11 of the body member sized to closely slidably receive the upper endportion 12 of the column shaft 4 as schematically shown in FIGS. 2-6.

The lower end portions of the spring tabs 9 may be supported againstoutward flexing by angled reinforcing webs 15 integral with the backside of the tabs and the body member around the opening. At upper endportions of the spring tabs 9 are radially inwardly and axially upwardlyinclined spring fingers 16 that frictionally engage the exterior wallsurface 17 of the upper end portion 12 of the column shaft asschematically shown in FIGS. 4-6. Three or more such spring tabs 9 aredesirably provided substantially uniformly spaced around the innerdiameter of the opening 10 to help self-center the capital 2 on thecolumn shaft.

The amount of friction exerted by all of the spring fingers 16 againstthe column shaft must be sufficient to support the weight of the capitaland any vibrations that the capital and column shaft may be subjectedto. Such frictional force may be controlled by the type of thermoplasticmaterial used to make the capitals (for example some thermoplasticmaterials have greater elasticity), the thickness and width of thespring fingers 16, the length of the spring fingers, the angle of attackof the spring fingers against the column shaft, and the amount ofcontact surface of the spring fingers against the column shaft.

If the column is a standard tapered column 1 with a neck ring 18 inaxial spaced relation from the upper end of the column shaft, when thecapital 2 is initially inserted over the top of the column shaft, thecapital may be slid down into contact with the neck ring 18. This shouldprovide sufficient clearance space above the capital to allow L-shapedbrackets 19 (or other suitable attachment means) to be attached to theupper end of the column shaft, and after the column is set in place andthe load is applied, to allow attachment of the brackets 19 to asuitable ceiling or roof support structure such as a support beam 20 asshown in FIG. 4. When the capital is in this lowermost position, the lowpoint of contact 25 of the spring fingers 16 with the column shaft isdesirably above the lower end wall 11 of the capital when in the fullyraised position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. This has the benefit that if anyof the plastic material of the spring fingers should rub off on thecolumn shaft during sliding of the capital down and then back up alongthe column shaft, the plastic will not be visible when the capital is inthe fully raised position flush up against the bottom side of thehorizontal support structure 20 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

If the column is a non-tapered column that does not have a neck ring,the capital could be moved further down the column shaft below thevisible line of contact of the spring fingers with the column shaft, socare should be taken to avoid that if possible.

Providing similar spring tabs on the base 3 (but that extend downwardlyaround the opening 30 in the upper end wall 31) has the furtheradvantage that the spring tabs will allow the base to be slid up highenough on the column shaft and frictionally hold the base in place whenfastening the bottom of the column shaft to the floor structure.Previously, shims had to be inserted between the inner diameter of thebase and the exterior wall surface 17 of the column shaft to wedge thebase in the raised position when fastening the bottom of the column tothe floor structure.

Another advantage in using the spring tab self-fastening system 8 shownin FIGS. 2-6 is that the spring tabs 9 will allow limited turning of thecapital (and/or base) in opposite directions relative to the columnshaft to align the capital (and/or base) as need be as long as thespring tabs are sufficiently offset relative to the mounting brackets 19so the mounting brackets don't interfere with such turning. One way toinsure that is to mold the spring tabs relatively close to the cornersof the capital (and/or base) if four spring tabs are provided.

If the capitals are molded out of a thermoplastic material, but withrelatively thin walls to make the capitals less costly, integrallymolded spring tabs 9 of the type previously described could noteffectively be used as the self-fastening system, since the spring tabswould not be able to exert enough spring force against the column shaftto frictionally hold the capitals in place without distorting thecapitals. In lieu of that, an axially upwardly extending tubular innerwall portion 35 may be integrally molded to the lower end wall 36 of thebody member 37 of the capital 38 around the bottom opening 39 therein asschematically shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Tubular inner wall portion 35 desirably extends substantially all theway up to the uppermost edge of the capital 38 and provides a throughpassage 40 for close sliding of the capital over the upper end portion12 of the column shaft 4. After the capital 38 has been placed over theupper end portion of the column shaft and slid downwardly therealonginto engagement with the neck ring 18, a self-fastening system 41 thatcomprises a plurality of spring retention members in the nature ofspring clips 42 may be attached to the uppermost end of the column shaftin circumferentially spaced relation from each other as schematicallyshown in FIG. 9.

As best seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, each spring clip 42 is desirablygenerally U-shape and has a pair of laterally spaced, axially downwardlyand oppositely inwardly extending spring fingers 43, 44 for frictionallygripping opposite wall surfaces of the uppermost end of the column shaftwhen inserted thereover so the spring clips stay in place during columninstallation. Radially inwardly and axially upwardly extending barbs 45,46 may be provided on each of the spring fingers for resisting pull offof the spring clips from the uppermost end of the column shaft duringpositioning of the column.

Once the column has been set in place under a beam or other suitableceiling or roof support structure 20 that has been raised slightly toenable the column to be positioned thereunder and then lowered onto theupper end of the column shaft, the spring clips 42 will be retained inplace by the load acting on the top of the column shaft.

If the column is provided with a neck ring 18, the neck ring will keepthe capital from sliding all the way down the column shaft duringsetting of the column in place and attaching the upper end of the columnto a suitable ceiling structure. If the column is not provided with aneck ring, suitable shims (not shown) may be inserted between theexterior surface of the column shaft and inner diameter of the capitalto prevent the capital from sliding all the way down the column shaft.

Once the column is properly secured in place, the capital 30 may be slidupwardly along the column shaft to force the upper end portion 50 of thetubular inner wall portion 35 of the capital between the exterior wallsurface 17 of the column shaft 4 and the spring finger 44 of each of thespring clips 42 overlying the exterior wall surface to frictionallyretain the capital on the upper end portion of the column shaft in flushengagement with the ceiling structure as best seen in FIG. 13.

Any number of spring clips 42 may be used to provide the spring forceneeded to hold the capitals 38 in place. However, preferably at leastthree substantially equally spaced spring clips are used to helpself-center the capitals on the column shafts. Also both of the springfingers 43 and 44 desirably have oppositely outwardly angled outer endportions 51 and 52 to facilitate insertion of the upper end portion 50of the tubular inner wall 35 of the capital between the exterior wallportion of the column shaft and one of the spring fingers regardless ofthe orientation of the spring clips when snapped over the upper end ofthe column shaft.

If two L-shaped mounting brackets 19 (see FIGS. 4-6) are used to attachthe top of the column shaft of FIGS. 9, 12 and 13 to the ceiling supportstructure, two diametrically spaced slots 53 are desirably provided inthe upper end 50 of the tubular inner wall portion 35 of the capital(one of which is shown in FIG. 8) to accommodate the mounting brackets.

If the capitals (and/or bases) are made out of a thermoset foam materialsuch as polyurethane foam, it would not be practical to integrally moldspring tabs or a tubular inner wall portion to the capitals forengagement by spring clips on the uppermost end of the column shaft inthe manner previously described because of the more rigid, brittlenature of thermoset foam material. In lieu of that, anotherself-fastening system 55 of the present invention may be provided forthermoset foam capitals that comprises a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced spring retention members in the nature of spring clips 57. Thesespring clips 57 are shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 attached to the body member58 of a thermoset foam capital 59 in axially spaced relation from theopening 60 in the lower end wall 61 of the body member through which theupper end portion 12 of the column shaft 4 is closely slidably receivedfor frictionally engaging the exterior wall surface 17 of the upper endportion of the column shaft as best seen in FIG. 21. The number ofspring clips 57 used to hold the capitals in place may be varieddepending on the holding force of each spring clip. However, at leastthree substantially equally spaced spring clips are desirably used tohelp self-center the capitals on the column shafts.

As seen in FIGS. 16-18 and 21, each spring clip 57 may be of a bayonettype including a relatively flat side wall 62 for substantial flatengagement with an inner wall 63 of the body member 58 of the capitaland a pointed tine 64 extending outwardly from the side wall 62intermediate the ends thereof having one or more barbs 65 thereon thatmay be embedded into the inner wall 63 for anchoring the spring clips tothe body member 58. A spring finger 70 may be inclined radially inwardlyand axially upwardly from a lower end portion of the side wall 62 ofeach spring clip for frictionally engaging the exterior wall surface ofthe column shaft. These spring clips will frictionally retain thecapital in place in substantially flush engagement with a ceilingstructure 20 as schematically shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 after the columnshaft has been set in place and the top and bottom ends of the columnshaft have been secured to the ceiling and floor structures in themanner previously described. If L-shaped brackets 19 are used to attachthe upper end of the column shaft to the ceiling structure, the springclips 57 will permit the capital to be rotated in either directionrelative to the column shaft to accommodate the mounting bracketsbetween the spring clips prior to raising the capital from the lowerposition shown in FIG. 19 to the upper position shown in FIGS. 20 and 21after the column shaft has been properly secured in place.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect tocertain embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations andmodifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the readingand understanding of the specification. In particular, with regard tovarious functions performed by the above-described components, the terms(including any reference to a “means”) used to describe such componentsare intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any componentwhich performs the specified function of the described component (e.g.,that is functionally equivalent) even through not structurallyequivalent to the disclosed component which performs the function of theherein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition,while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed withrespect to only one embodiment, such feature may be combined with one ormore other features as may be desired and advantageous for any given orparticular application.

1. An ornamental capital for architectural columns comprising a bodymember having a through passage for receiving an upper end portion of anarchitectural column shaft, and a plurality of circumferentially spacedspring retention members inside the body member surrounding the throughpassage for frictionally retaining the capital on the upper end portionof the column shaft.
 2. The capital of claim 1 wherein the springretention members comprise spring clips attached to the body member. 3.The capital of claim 2 wherein the spring clips are anchored to the bodymember.
 4. The capital of claim 2 wherein each of the spring clipsincludes a radially inwardly and axially upwardly inclined spring fingerthat frictionally engages an exterior wall surface of the upper endportion of the column shaft when the capital is placed thereover.
 5. Thecapital of claim 4 wherein the body member is made of a thermoset foammaterial.
 6. The capital of claim 5 wherein the thermoset foam materialis polyurethane.
 7. The capital of claim 1 wherein the body member ismade of a thermoplastic material, and the spring retention memberscomprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring tabs integralwith the body member.
 8. The capital of claim 7 wherein each of thespring tabs has a radially inwardly and axially upwardly inclined springfinger for frictionally engaging an exterior wall surface of the upperend portion of the column shaft.
 9. The capital of claim 8 wherein thebody member has a lower end wall containing an opening to the throughpassage sized to closely slidably receive the upper end portion of thecolumn shaft, and the spring finger of each of the spring tabs has anupper end portion in axially upwardly spaced relation from the openingin the lower end wall that frictionally engages the exterior wallsurface of the upper end portion of the column shaft to self center thecapital on the column shaft.
 10. In combination, an architectural columnhaving a column shaft and an ornamental capital adapted to be slidablyreceived over an upper end portion of the column shaft, the capitalcomprising a body member having a through passage for receipt of theupper end portion of the column shaft, and a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced spring retention members inside the body membersurrounding the through passage for frictionally retaining the capitalon the upper end portion of the column shaft.
 11. The combination ofclaim 10 wherein the spring retention members comprise spring clipsattached to the body member.
 12. The combination of claim 11 whereineach of the spring clips includes a radially inwardly and axiallyupwardly inclined spring finger that frictionally engages an exteriorwall surface of the upper end portion of the column shaft when thecapital is placed thereover.
 13. The combination of claim 12 wherein thebody member is made of a thermoset foam material.
 14. The combination ofclaim 10 wherein the body member is made of a thermoplastic material,and the spring retention members comprise a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced spring tabs integral with the body member, thespring tabs extending radially inwardly and axially upwardly intofrictional engagement with an exterior wall surface of the upper endportion of the column shaft when the capital is placed thereover. 15.The combination of claim 10 wherein the body member has a lower end wallcontaining an opening to the through passage sized to closely slidablyreceive the upper end portion of the column shaft, and the springretention members have upper end portions in axially upwardly spacedrelation from the opening in the lower end wall that frictionally engagethe exterior wall surface of the upper end portion of the column shaftto self center the capital on the column shaft.
 16. In combination, anarchitectural column having a column shaft and an ornamental capital,the capital comprising a thermoplastic body member having an axiallyextending tubular inner wall portion providing a through passage forclosely slidably receiving an upper end portion of the column shaft, anda plurality of circumferentially spaced spring clips attached to anuppermost end of the column shaft, each of the spring clips having anaxially downwardly extending spring finger adapted to receive an upperend portion of the tubular inner wall portion of the capital between anexterior wall surface of the column shaft and the spring finger forfrictionally retaining the capital on the upper end portion of thecolumn shaft.
 17. The combination of claim 16 wherein the uppermost endof the column shaft is tubular, and each of the spring clips is snapfitted over the uppermost end of the column shaft.
 18. The combinationof claim 17 wherein each of the spring clips has a pair of laterallyspaced, axially downwardly extending spring fingers for frictionallygripping an interior wall surface of the uppermost end of the columnshaft and the upper end portion of the tubular inner wall portion of thecapital when inserted between an exterior wall surface of the columnshaft and the spring finger overlying the exterior wall surface.
 19. Thecombination of claim 18 wherein the spring fingers have oppositelyoutwardly angled outer end portions.
 20. The combination of claim 18wherein each of the spring fingers has radially inwardly and axiallyupwardly extending barbs for resisting pull off of the spring clips fromthe uppermost end of the column shaft and removal of the upper endportion of the tubular inner end portion of the capital when insertedbetween the exterior wall surface of the column shaft and the springfinger overlying the exterior wall surface.